Case Study: Cardinal Newman Catholic Educational Trust enhances recruitment security and safeguards children with IRIS Software Group

Social Media Check enhances recruitment security and ensures children’s safety at the Cardinal Newman Catholic Educational Trust

The Cardinal Newman Catholic Educational Trust, a group of five primary schools across Bristol and North Somerset led by Dr Danny Doyle, needed to strengthen safeguarding and reduce recruitment risk after past social-media incidents and an Ofsted downgrade. To add a proactive layer to traditional background checks, the Trust adopted Social Media Check from IRIS Software Group to vet shortlisted candidates, central staff, trustees and senior leaders as part of its recruitment process.

IRIS Software Group’s Social Media Check was trialled, embedded into the Trust’s policies and job adverts, and linked to the Single Central Record via Every HR by IRIS. The service delivers fast, GDPR‑compliant reports (typically 10–15 minutes to produce, results within 60 minutes), helped staff clean up online profiles, reassured anxious employees, and provided tangible evidence of robust safer‑recruitment practices for Ofsted and stakeholders—strengthening safeguarding and reducing reputational risk across the Trust.

Cardinal Newman Catholic Educational Trust

Danny Doyle

Trust Leader